FAVORITE SCRIPTURE

The story is told of a Sunday class that had been asked the question, "In your time of discouragement, what is your favorite Scripture?"

A young man said, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want." (Psalm 23:1)

A middle age woman said, "God is my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1)

Another woman said, "In this world you shall have tribulations, but be of good cheer, I have overcome this world." (John 16:33)

Then Mr. John, who was 80 years old, stood up & said with as much strength as he could muster, "and it came to pass 85 times in the Bible."

The class started to laugh a little thinking that old Mr. John's lack of memory was getting the best of him. When the snickering stopped, he said.

"At 30 I lost my job with six hungry mouths & a wife to feed. I didn't know how I would make it.

At 40 my eldest son was killed overseas in the war. It knocked me down.

At 50 my house burned to the ground. Nothing was saved out of the house.

At 60 my wife of 40 years got cancer. It slowly ate away at her. We cried together many a night on our knees in prayer.

At 65 she died. I still miss her today.

The agony I went through in each of these situations was unbelievable. But each time I looked in the Bible I saw one of those 85 verses that said, 'and it came to pass.'

I felt that God was telling me, my pain & my circumstances were going to pass & that God would get me through it."

- (aksermonillustrations.blogspot.in)

"In all my perplexities and distresses, the Bible has never failed to give me light and strength." - Robert E. Lee.